Uncoupling device



.April 13.', 192s.. 1,580,391"

w. WRIGHT UNcoUPnImr'DEX/ICFJ rfi-19d oct; so, 1924 6 5h,ts shef zaaen: .Z'Q Y i A Apr-i1 13,1926. f y 1,580,397

A w.wR;GHT

UNcoUPLINYG nEvI Filed'oc'. so', 19,24 a sheets-sheet 5 :uw l

4o T1 l Je Il i, mimi w Y i Ilumlilllllli arlmmsi April 13, 192s.

- 1,580,397 W. WRIGHT UNCOUPLING DEVICE 30, 6 Sheets-sheet 6 v ot' uncoupler e lprovide a compound lev'erage uncoupling Patented Apr. 13, 19,26.

i uNiriaD" 'sra-ria Pai-"ENT oi=iei:.

WILLIAM'WRIGHT, 0F CHICAGQILLINIS, `.plissrenoit7 BYMESNE ASSIGNMENTS@ -CHICAGC)CLEVELANDl CAR ROOFING COMPANY, V.0F CHICAGO,Y ILLINOIS, A CQR- Application mea oei-.ober 39,119.24. seriaiyno.` 746,'s`14.

To'aZZ whom t may concer/nf: l' Be .it known thatl l, WiLLiAM lcitizen oi the lUnited States ot America, and

a resident of Chicago, in the county of Cook.

and `State of. lllinois,"have` invented a new and useful Improvement in Uncoupling Devices, of which the following is a speciiication. l This inventionrelates/to uncoupling devices'tor railway cars, and more especially Vto heavy duty uncouplers involvingtlie use of multiplying compound leveragemeans. n n l Awhich thebox; is` omitted and a modified bracket and' leverage ,combination is used.

The main objects oit the'invention, aregto provide an improved and more eiiicient form of the character described; to

mechanism of compact character comprising few parts andk assembled in a inanneradapted tor protection from vinjury and also convenient of'access toi repairs andl interchange of parts. p

Several embodiments ofthis invention are shown by the accompanying drawings, in which- 1 f .Figa 1 is mainlyavplan ot' one embodiment of the invention attached toa railway car, the latter being in horizontal section just above the.v uncoupler.

- Fig. EZ-is.Y a front elevation ot the device mounted in place on the care. l

Fig. 3 is a. greatly enlarged front view ot the multiplier leverage mechanism in its normal position, including the'housing or rocker box, which here serves also as a leverage element, the 'pivot bracket lwhich is hidden being indicated by dotted lines and the box cover the section line 3-3'011 Fig. 5.

Fig. #l is a vertical axial section on the line et-ll of Fig. 3.

Fig. k5 shows theV bracket and leverage mechanism in plan, except that the box which serves inpart as a lever is shown lin .horizontal section throughthe pivotal axis.

Fig; 6 is a front ,elevationof the device asA in Fig. 3, but with the box and the rest of 'the leverage.mechanism tilted counter-clock# wise to the uncoupling position. ,l

Fig; 7 shows a somewhat-simplified einbodiinent, the viewv being mainly a plan of the bracket and levers with the box in horizontal'- axial section, Vsubstantially as ;.in Figui). Fig. 8 is a front elevation of the devicefof VViziG'irr, a

being removed as indicated by' i right shoulder y14 :(see Fig. 3)

F 7 with the 'cover removed asiiidicated yby the section line 8-8 `in Fig. 7 third embodiment 'is substantially similarfto Fig. 7, except'that a round` disk-like and more symmetrical Y looking box vis represented and a-shoulder Fig. 9 representing a is pro-vided yin the box instead ot a pivot to impart power to the pin lifting lever.`

Fig. 10 isalso similar to Fig. 8 except for i' the disk shape of the box and theshoulder construction referred toin Fig.' 7. `Fig.11 shows a fourth embodiment in Fig. 12 is aplanot' thedevice otFig.y 11.

In the construction lshownfin Figs.'v 1 to 6,

the uncoupling device 1'is mounted on the f end ofa railway car 2f andA is .operatively connected to raise the knuckle lock pin 3 ot the automatic coupler 4;, as usual in railway practice. The uncoupleiyis of the power multiplying compound leverage type adapt-` ed for use on" cars equippedV withheavy co'uplers,;where the force required yto operate same is greater fthancanbe vsupplied readily through simple leverage devices. Theuncoupler embodiment 1 illustrated by "said Figs. 1 toUG comprisesmainly a pivot fulcrum bracket 5, which is ailixe'd lto afseat member 2 bolted tothe end, of the lcar at.

lever: 10 operatively` connecting the short end? ot said lever 9 and said4 boxf'?, said voperating' lever S being carried by `the box Tand said vpin lifting lever 9 being mounted primarily on. the tix-'ed'pivot 11 formed on the upper right corner ot'bracket 5.

The power multiplying* leverage mechanism or chain will now bemoi'e fully described. vThe hand lever 8 is fulcrumed Vat 12 on bracket 5 and its load is applied medially at shoulder 13 on the lower left corner ot boxj. Hence this is a lever ot' the second kind. y e

The leverage box 7 lis ulcrumed on the mainfpivot 12. Itreceives its power at the ylett shoulder 13, and carriesv its load at the rThis isv a vlever of the 'firstxkind4 .i

latter tilts coturnably with said lever.

The lever is fulcrumed medially on said pivot 12, receives its fpower at `one end which bears against the shoulder 111 on box 7 and carries its load at the opposite end, where itis .pivotally connected as at to 'the pinlifting lever 9. lt is a lever of the first kind.

The pin lifting lever 9 receives its power at one end through pivot 15, is fulcrumerl inedially on the stationary pivot 11 and,

carries its load 8 at the opposite end and is therefore a lever of the first kind.

In order to accon'imodate variation of the effective 'length of the short primary arm of llever 9, it is provided with longitudinal slot 16 to' receive the sliding' pivot or shoulder 15 on the llink 10.

The operative relation of the hand lever 8 and the leverage box 7 is such that the ln order `to accommodate the relative movement of said box and the fixed pivot 11, the back of said box is slotted as shown at17. The relation of said pivot 11 and slot 17 is shown by Figs. 8, 5 and G. Said slot is arcuate and is arranged concentric with pivot 12. The pivot 11 is at the right Aof and somewhat higher than pivot 12, the direction being about 2OO from'horizontal.

In order to facilitate assemblage land interchange or replacement of parts, the box v7 is formed in a rather -iiattish shape, set vertically and provided with detachable faceplate or cover 18 which is fastened in place detachably by means of a removable lCotter pin fitting in the perforation 2O in the outer tip of pivot 12. The outer edge of said cover is grooved and shouldered as at 18 to interfit with t-he corresponding` edges of the box so as to prevent relative -edgewise movement of the `box and cover.

The right end wall of said box is widely 'apertured at 21 to accommodate free rela tive movement of lever 9 both vertically and horizontally and also to permit sidewise asV semblage of said lever not only when the box is mounted on bra 'liet 5 with the pivots 11 and 12 projecting intov the box, but also when the box is separated from said bracket.

The left end wall of the box is provided with a vertical slot 22 for admit-ting the in ner end of the hand lever 8. The cover 18 has an inwardly projecting boss 23 to serve as a stop for t-he lever 8 whereby the latter is secured in engagement with pivot 12 at the notch 24 on lever 8. lVhen the cover is in place, said stop locks the lever 8 in place lagainst ondwise withdrawal.

In assembling the device above described, the bracket 5 is first secured to the end of the car by means of bolts or the like as shown vat 5. The pin lifting lever 9 is then inserted into the box 7 through the aperture 21. The box with the lever 49 in place is then placed on the bracket pivot 12, care being taken that the bracket pivot 11 enters the box through slot 17 and also enters the .corresponding aperture 9 of lever 9 at the Vpoint where the latter is fulcrumed. The hand lever V8 is then thrust endwise intl said box through the aperture 22 and the end having notch 2e is fitted against the box hub part 7 into which the pivot 12 *its coaxially. rlherlever 10 is then slipped into place with its fuleruin part bearing against hub 7 and its right end seated against shoulder 1li, care being taken that the pivot 15 on its left end enters the slot- 16 of lever 9. The centrally apertured cover 18 is then applied over the projectingr tip of pivot 12 and the edges lare fitted Aagainst the box at 18. ln so applying the cover the stud or boss A3 takes a position beneath and adjacent to the underside of lever 8, whereby it serves to lock Said lever in place in the box 7 and prevent downward movement of its inner end away from cngagement with the hub 7. rlheA cover is then fastened in place by inserting' 'the cotter 25 as shown in Fig. 4.

llhen operated by downward pressure of the hand on lever 8, power is delivered downwardly on the lett side of bex 7 which, by counter-clockwise leverage action, delivers ipower upwardly against the right end of lever 10. Power is transmitted by said lever 10 to the left end of lever 9 where it is applied downwardly. rlhis serves to tilt the pin end of lever 9 upwardly to raise the knuckle lock pin 3. By this action the mechanism changes from the position shown by Figs. 3 and L1 to that shown by Fig. 6, the lever pin 15 sliding outwardly in slot 16 away from pivot 11 and lever 9 moving downward in slot 21.

Referring now to the construction shown in Figs. 7 and 8, bracket 5 and its several parte are substantially like those shown in 3 to G. The box 26, however, is of a modified construction and unlike Fig. 3 there is no 'short connecting lever in the box. VOn the otheil hand, the box is provided with a pivot boss 27 'to engage the slot 18 of lever 9, said lever being constructed substantially as in Figs. 3 to 6, and being mounted in like manner. The lever 8 is also similar to the corresponding .lever above described and is mounted in the saine manner. The cover 28 is modified somewhat in construction to correspond with the different shape of `the box and is provided with a stop 29 of modified form to secure the inner end of lever 8 in place.

In lthis instance the ypower delivered through the hand lever 9 is transmitted by the .box directly to the inner arm of lever 9. The box here operates substantially as a lever of the .first order, though it may be regarded in a certain sense as in the nature 35, however,

- differently and more substantially.

Y lever 36 is S'OliCl uncoup'ier.

lof the hand lcver,'thereby preventing disof a link connecting the slotk Iendof lever9 to the bearing point of lever 8 which enters at 26 and rests on the box shoulder 30. The effective part of the box, however, is more' strict-ly of the nature of a lever to which the power is appli-ed at 30 and delivered Y'at 2?, the fulcrum being at thebracket pivot 12.V

In assembling this form .of uncoupler,lthe lever 9 is first inserted through slot 31 into the box which is then mounted on the pivot l2 of bracket 5, care being taken that the. bracket pivot l1 enters the slot 32 andthe leverv apertui'e 9. The lever 8 is then in'-v sert-ed and finally the cover 28v is applied" and locked in place substantially as inthe first embodiment described. In this instance the pivot 27 'slides' outwardly in slot y; 16 when lever 8 tilts the box counter-clockwise'.

Referring next to the embodiment shown in Figs. 9 and 10, the bracket 5 is the same as Vdescribed in thefirsttwo forms. The box is different in several ways, both in the exterior appearance and in-the mechanical construction. In order to. enhance the appearance, theabox is made sub- Vstantially,round and disk-like so that when theV uncoupler mechanism .is operated, they tilting of the box will not be conspicuous or noticeable. It is somewhat thicker on the right side so yas' to accommodate the necessary side swing` of lever 36 in slot 3.5. Furthermore, the inner tip 37 of the pin lifting and the u'pper left part of the box is provided with a downwardly fac# ing shoulder 38 against which the upper edge of the lever tip 36 bears for the. transmission of power in effectively operating the The cover 39 isy also yformedV round and substantiallywflat to correspond with the shape of the box. It is modified somewhat respecting the shoulder means for locking the hand lever 40 iii'place. Inv this instance a' rib 4l` stands out on the back side of the cover and is formed soas to provide a shoulder 42 underlying the inner part v43 placement of the latter' downwardly when the cover is in place. A cotter 25'pserves to lock the. cover `39 in' place substantially as above described. In mechanical principlesl this form of uncoupler is similar to that of p Fig. S. But here the shoulder 42 is formed A still further and moredistinct modification of the uncoupler is shown in Figs. ll and 12. Here the parts are. all modified to accommodate a variation'in the model of operation and to correspond'with one an# other. The bracket is formed with acens tral pivot 51 to receive the inner part of theV hand lever 52. Slightly above said pivot is r a pin lever supporting pivot 53. Mounted on the lower pivot is also a short connecting lever 54 pivoted at one end to the inner end' of said hand lever as at 55. The inner end respectivepivots 51 and 53.

of thepin lifting lever 56 and the other end of kthe short connecting leverfare connected first order,v the Vtwo v.last mentioned` levers F f being connected byY lsaid link 59.

l In. assembling this-,device the bracket 50 is first secured to the car and then the 'two main levers v52 and 56 aremounted on their The connecting lever 54l is then applied andi-finally the flink 59 is* attached to vthe ad-` jacent ends lof the, corresponding levers' 54 and 56 as will beuntlerstood. To accom-f vmodatethese connections,vthe "lever 56 has apertures 6l and 62 corresponding 'with the pivots 53 and 57 respectively. Lever 52'is apeitured at63 and 64 to receive the pivots 5l and 55 respectively. The lever 54 has the pivots and 58 formed onits backand front sides respectively. Link '59'is apeitur'ed'at its lower end toreceive pivot'v l and has pivot 57"'formed to'projectrbackwardly onits upper yend to enter hole 62'-y of lever 56. The several pivots are provided with cotter pins l66 to Ysecurethem in their respective link and lever'apertures. f It may be noted that in each embodiment here shown the two main levers, namely the hand operating lever and the pin lifting lever are disposed in the same vertical plane, the latter lapping over the former at their inner ends. `Moreover, in all but the lastv form described, the housing box functions.l l

as a leverage connecting means mechanically intermediatethe two main levers.

Although several specific embodiments or modifications of this invention are herein set hasbeen made toshow all `practical and use ica ` forth, it will be understoodthat no attemptv y ful embodiments of the invention, 'and that4 some of the details of the construction shown may be altered or omitted without departing' from the spirit of this invention as defined by the following claims.

I claim: Y 1. An uncoupling vdevice including a power multiplying leverage mechanism comprisingin combination a fixed bracket having twofulcrum pivots thereon, a box oscil- Vlatably mounted on one of said pivots, a'

hand lever fulcrumed on said one pivot in coactive relation to said box, a pin lifting lever fulcrumed medially on the other of said pivots'and means including said box operatively connecting, said levers.

2. YAn n uncoupling vdevice including a power multiplying leverage mechanism comprising in combination a fixed bracket havying two fulcrum pivots thereon, a box oscillatablyfmounted on one of said pivots, a hand lever .'fulcrumed on said one pivot Uin coactive relation to said yboxa pin lifting lever foloruirred medially on the other of said pivote, a @over 1lor seid boi; serving lo hold the Seid members in operative relation and releasable looking moans engaging seid one pivotv to hold seid Cover in place on Said box.

3. An iirieoupling device including o power multiplyingl leverage mechanism comprising in combination o. lixed bracket hirviiig two fulorum pivot'thereoii, o. box oseillotebly mounted on one of said pivos, a hand lever of the Second .order fiilerumed ori Said one pivot in oozietive relation o seid box, a pin lifting' lever of the lirst order fulcrmiied medially on the oher of said pivols and means .including seid box oberotively Connecting Suid levers.

ll. All uneoupling device including u power multiplying leverage irieehonism comprising in Combination a fixed bracket lieving tivo fulorum pivote thereon, e. box eerillaiebly mounted on one of Said pivote, il hand lever ulerumed on seid one pivoy in ooeotive relation to said box for tilting 'the seme, a pin liftinglever iielerimiec rrredizilly on the other of said pivots, e iraedially eportured cover for said box serving to hold the said members in operative relation and releosable locking means engaging Suid one pivot to hold said cover in place on said box, seid one pivot being,` disposed to project through J[he cover aperture to eeeorrmmdal-e said locking means.

5.1'511 uneoupling device including L power muliplyiiig leverage nieehanisrri coihprising in combination a lixed bracket having' two fulerum ,pivois thereon, a box oseillatebly mounted oii one o Said pivoe, zi hand lever uleroiried on smid olie pivot in eoaetive relation o Said box, a piu lifting lever .ulorumed medially on the other or @aid piving tivo fulcroro pivote thereon, o rieirlber oseillatably moulded on one of e id pivote a .hond lever oscillateble about said one pivorJ eo-tiirnably with said member, :L pin lifting lever ulerumed medially on lhe other of Said pivol'seiid means includingseid mehr` ber o yerrri-ively eoiiiieeting seid levers.

Signed Chlor-go this 28th dey oi Gelober 1924:.

WILLIAM ivRroi-ir; 

